GB2053152A - Garage lifts - Google Patents

Abstract

A garage lift comprises a base structure 11 provided with runner boards or skids (13, Figure 2, not shown), two identical pairs of supporting arms 4 which are pivotally attached to the base and swingable in unison by respective hydraulic cylinders mechanically linked thereto and to the base, and a load-carrying support 2 pivotally connected to the free ends of the pairs of arms whereby it remains horizontal throughout its travel, a pair of stays 3 being pivoted to one pair of arms and engageable with racks 9 on the base to retain the support 2 at a predetermined height. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A surface mounted electro-hydraulically operated elevating unit for motor cars and similar The present invention is concerned with an electrohydraulically operated elevating unit whose construction does, as the direct result of a thorough structural study, provide a series of features which, in addition to being novelties, and also enabling such unit to perform its specific purpose in a perfect and efficient manner, where this is to elevate motor cars or similar, are intended to achieve a greater ease of servicing in the field of repairing such motor cars or similar, all of which bestows a very high degree of versatility to the unit as proclaimed, and makes it particularly advisable to use.

To this end, and in accordance with the invention, the unit proclaimed is essentially comprised of a static base structure provided with appropriate runner boards, and of two identical pairs of supporting arms, each of whose bottom ends is provided with a pivotal attachment to the base, and each of whose free ends are likewise linked to a travelling platform structure.

The supporting arms are each linked by their ends in pivotal attachment to the base, to a corresponding hydraulic cylinder by means of suitable coupling members.

In this way, and by means of operating suitable control equipment, the said cylinders are made to come into operation in unison with one another, and tip the support arms in a manner such that they remain constantly parallel with one another, and keep the travelling platform structure in a perfectly horizontal position throughout the whole of its travel range, by virtue of the fact that the pivotal points of the arms define an articulated parallelogram.

It is a characteristic of this invention that the runner boards are skids upon which the motor car is located in readiness for elevation, belong to the base structure which remains static, since said runner boards also occupy a fixed positioning during such elevation, thus affording protection for the hydraulic power unit, and ensuring the stability of the assembly.

This ingenious unit as herein proclaimed is capable of being moved at will away from the place where it operates, and when the cylinders are in the non-operative position, of being wholly folded up into a minimum amount of room, so that it becomes possible to use in all kinds of garages, including private ones.

It is also worthy of mention in view of its special significance, that the elevation unit covered by this invention is equipped with safety means of both the mechanical and the hydraulic type, which allow perfect and efficient performance of the stages involving elevation, descent, and holding the vehicle in such elevated or operational position to allow repairs to be performed thereon.

All these features, together with others as specified in fuller detail in the ensuing description referred to the notations in the drawings, provide the unit as proclaimed with a very high degree of versatility, which, combined with its simplicity both in construction and in assembly, lead to notable improvements which modify substantially and advantageouslythe character of the subject of this invention, differentiating it from anything known upto now, and bestowing upon it a life of its very own.

Figure 1 is a schematic side elevational view showing the component parts of the elevation unit proclaimed, where support arms (4) are illustrated in the operational or raised position.

Figure 2 is a plan view on Figure 1, but here the support arms are illustrated in the non-operational and withdrawn position.

Figure 3 is an outline view on Figure 1, where the parallelogram travel motion of support arms (4) may be seen.

1. Supporting lugs.

2. Travelling support structure.

3. Stays.

4. Support arms.

5. Electro-hydraulic operating means.

6. Travel stops.

7. Operating button.

8. Travelling lever.

9. Toothed rack.

10. Hydraulic cylinders.

11. Static base structure.

12. Sloping sills.

13. Runner boards.

14. Pivot pins.

The present invention isconcerned with an electro-hydraulically operated surface mounted motor car and similar elevating unit, wherewith same is essentially comprised of a static base structure (11), and a travelling support structure (2), both of which are linked together by means of two identical pairs of support arms (4).

As may clearly be appreciated from Figure 1, said support arms (4) are each fitted at their ends with pivotal attachments of both of the aforementioned structures (2 and 11), while at the same time their lower ends are each attached by means of a suitable joining tie, to respective cylinders (10) whose operation is accomplished electro-hydraulically with suitable means of control (5).

It is a characteristic of the disclosure that the static base (11) possesses solidly attached runner boards or skids (13) whereupon the motor vehicle is positioned, and where such positioning is initially assisted by sloping sills (12) for entry, whilst travel stops (6) are provided at the opposite end of said runner boards (13) in order to prevent the vehicle falling therefrom when being travelled forwards to position it thus.

It is moreover to be noted that the travelling support structure (2) possesses securing arrangements in the form of supporting lugs that are linked to supporting arms and are capable of revolving and being locked in a certain position so that upon being applied to the vehicle wheels, they afford a secure grasp thereupon with respect to the travelling support structure (2), once such vehicle has been positioned on the runner boards (13), as well as during the elevation, its being held in the elevated or service position, and the descent.

In this way then, when electro-hydraulic operating means (5) are suitably put into motion by depressing the appropriate button (7), hydraulic power makes cylinders (10) work in unison with one another, whereupon support arms (4) tip with respect to structures (2 and 11) but nonetheless remain in constant parallelism to one another, and they draw travelling support structure (2) in such a way that it remains perfectly horizontal, to the floor throughout its travel range, and with said structure (2), the vehicle undergoes travel motion as well, because, as may be seen from Figure 3, pivotal points on arms (4) define a permanent articulated parallelogram throughout the travel range.

Afeatureto be noted is that throughout the vehicle elevation and descending motions, the runner boards (13) remain stationary by virtue of their comprising an integral part of the static base (11), while said runner boards (13) in addition to fulfilling their specific function, which is to provide for the initial positioning of the vehicle, have the further purpose whereby they characteristically protect the electro-hydraulic operating means (5), and afford also stability to the assembly.

Moreover, and as may be appreciated from Figure 2, the ingenious arrangement proclaimed herein allows the assembly to adopt a folded position when the cylinders (10) are idle, whereby its main parts such as the support arms (4), and both structures (2 and 11) are fully withdrawn and take up a minimum amount of space, where such feature enables the assembly comprised of the elevation unit disclosed herein, to be suitable for use in all kinds of garages, including private dynes.

Moreover, and as a result of all the foregoing, this system obviates the need for any kind of anchoring down thereof at the place where it is located for operation, and this in no way affects its performing its purpose in an optimum manner.

Furthermore, and as may clearly be seen in Figure 1 on the accompanying drawing, it is to be noted that mechanical safety arrangements are embodied, where same comprise at least two stays (3) whose terminations at one end are each pivotally attached to respective pivot pins (14) assembled face to face in respective support arms (4), while the free ends of said stays (3) each engage with a respective toothed rack shown as item (9), where both of same are solidly attached to the static base structure (11).

In this way, in the phases when the vehicle is being elevated, when it is held in this position for repairing, and when it is being lowered, the aforementioned free ends of stays (3) rest upon the teeth in racks (9) and thus ensure that the assembly is kept in proper condition such as to allow said phases to be perfectly and efficiently accomplished, and to afford maximum safety in the event of any failure arising in the course of such accomplishment.

Furthermore, the unit disclosed herein embodies a manual disengagement system for stays (3) for use when these mechanical safety members are not required through the cylinders (10) being in the idle position, and moreover a ever (8) is provided that operates a relief valve in order to lower the vehicle.

Claims (5)

1. A surface mounted electro-hydraulically operated elevating unit for motor cars and similar, peculiar insofar as it is comprised of a static base structure that is provided with suitable runner boards or skids, and upon which structure two identical pairs of supporting arms are pivotally attached in conjunction with respective hydraulic cylinders mechanically linked thereto, and where the free ends of said supporting arms are pivotally attached to a travelling support structure, in such a way that upon the appropriate controls and power unit being operated, said cylinders undergo simultaneous travel motion and hence tip each of said support arms through an identical angular travel motion, and thus the travelling support structure remains in a perfectly horizontal position with respect to the floor throughout its travel, and hence the load upon same maintains the horizontal too when it is carried by said travelling support structure, whilst the runner boards remain stationary together with the static base structure.

2. A surface mounted electro-hydraulically operated elevating unit for motor cars and similar, in full accordance with the first claim, and peculiar wherewith the pivotal points on the support arms define an articulated parallelogram, wherewith there is permanent reciprocal parallelism among said support arms throughout their travel in either direction, and the travelling support structure is kept in the designed horizontal plane at any point along its travel range.

3. A surface mounted electro-hydraulically operated elevating unit for motor cars and similar, in full accordance with the claim, and peculiar inasmuch that mechanical safety means are provided in relationship with at least one ofthe supporting arms that face each other transversally, and with the static base structure, wherewith a high degree of operational reliability is automatically afforded during the load raising and lower stages, as well as during the time the load is held in the raised position.

4. A surface mounted electro-hydraulically operated elevating unit for motor cars and similar, in full accordance with the first claim, and peculiar insofar that means for holding and abutment of the load are provided on the travelling support structure in order to enable sameto be held in a stationary position while being elevated, held in the elevated position, and lowered.

5. A surface mounted electro-hydraulically operated elevating unit for motor cars and similar, in full accordance with the foregoing claims, and peculiar insofar that by virtue of the structuring of the unit in question, no holding down system for same is required to anchor it to the surface in its place of operation in order to achieve optimum fulfillment of its specific purpose.